Recorder for dial telephones



5. MINDLIN RECORDER FOR DIAL TEIiEPHONES Filed May 9, 1927 T. E N/ N E/d/W V. M j

Patented Nov. 1, 1927.

, UNIT-ED{STATES 1,647,142 PATENT OFFICE.

SAMUEL 1VIINDLI1\T,'OF new "YORK, n.- Y.

nnoonimnron DIAL TELEPHONES.

Application filed May 9,

This invention is-sa recorder for dia l telee of this character are thecause of considerable annoyance to the telephone company,

as well as to subscribers, who, when they pay their monthly bills,frequently object to the charges for calls thus surreptitiously.

made.

The purpose of this invention is to pros vide means whereby it will beimpossible to dial a number without registering-a call.

By this means, the total number-of calls will be registered and thesubscriber cancheck these calls against his telephone bill and ascertainwhether or not the bill' is correct. If the number of calls check, hewill know at once that his telephone is being used surreptitiously. ISpeakinggenerally. the invention consists in means for normally lockingthe dialing disk of the telephone againsta dialing operation. saidmeansbeing formed to hold in position to lock the disk by the'hook ofthe. telephone instrument, so that in order to dial the telephone, it isnecessary to raise; the telephone hook. In orderto return. the hook toits shut off position. it is-necessary to relock the disk. With thislocking means is associated recording mechanism which records themovements thereof, so that each time the disk is unlocked and relocked,a call will be registered. Inasmuch as it is necessary to depress thehook between successive calls, in order to dial, it necessarilv followsthat each call made will be recorded.

In its preferred, practical form,'the device is mounted directly on thetelephone instrument. but it mav be mounted on the stand with which theinstrument is associated. When secured to the instrument itself, theinvention may conveniently take the form of a reciprocating membermounted in suitable brackets on'the standard of the telephone instrumentfor vertical reciprocation. The lower end of the member is 1927; Serialin. 189,826.

der the hook ofthev instrument. Positioned adjacent the reciprocatingmember is a counten of any suitable construction operatlvely connectedto the member to registerthe. reciprocations thereof, so that each timethe member is raised and lowered, one call will be registered. Thisarrangement will not interfere withthe reception of calls and suchincoming calls will not be registered,

but it will be impossible to dial an outgoing call without registeringsuch call.,

Features of the invention, other than those specified, will be apparentfrom the here I inafter detailed description and claims, when readinconjunction with the accom panying drawings. v

. The accompanying drawings illustrateone practical embodiment of theinvention, but the construction therein shown is to be understood asillustrative, only, and not as defining the limits of the invention.

.The drawing shows the conventional form of dial telephone instrumentwith which the present inventionis associated.

Referring to the drawing, 1 is the base, 2 the standard, and 3 the hookof a conventionaltelephone instrument provided with dial apparatus 4embodying a dial disk 5 of conventional form. This disk has a number ofdial openings .6 therein andis mounted to rotate pivotally. Theinstrument, thus far described, forms no part of the present invention,butits showing is deemed necessary in orderto illu-strate the manner inwhich the present invention functions.

The reciprocating member 8 shown in. the form of a rod is illustrated asmounted on the standard 2 by means of suitable brackets 9, which arerigidly clamped about the standard in such manner as to render theirremoval inconvenient or impossible. The lower end of the rod .8 isoffset as at 10, so as to be alinedwith one of the openings 6 of thedial disk, while the upper end of the rod is bent laterally as shown at11 to underlie the hook 3. The rod is preferably secured againstrotation in any suitable manner as by forming a portion. 12 of polygonalcross section; The portion 12 is shown as provided with a serrated orrack-like edge 13 which operates through a portion of the casing 14 of acounter or recorder.

that it is not considered necessary to illustrate one in detail as thecounter here used maybe of any conventional form adapted Counters andrecorders are so well known without necessitating the lifting of the rodso that during the reception of calls the dial disk 5 will remainlocked. However, when it is desired to transmit a call, the receiver istaken from the hook and the rod 8 manually lifted to release the dialdisk and perunit of the dialing operation. When the receiver is againreplaced on the hook and the hook lowered, the rod will be depressed toagain lock the dial disk.

It is a peculiarity of dial instrument construction that two numberscannot be dialed in succession without an intermediate depres sion ofthe hook and it therefore follows that every outgoing call must berecorded when the present invention is associated with the instrument.

The invention has been shown in the accompanying drawings as associatedwith a standard disk telephone instrument. I am aware, however, that itmaybe associated with other forms of telephone instrument, such as wallphones, or phones of the foreign type. The application of the inventionto these various types of phone will be ap parent when it is borne inmind that the hook 3 constitutes, broadly stated, the controlling devicefor the telephone circuit and in accordance with this invention, theposition of the disk locking element is controlled by this circuitcontrolling member. Thus, no matter what type of phone the invention isassociated with, the same general relations of the parts will exist.

The foregoing detailed description sets forth the invention in itspreferred practical form, but the invention is to be understood as fullycommensurate with the appended claims.

Having thus fully described the invention, what I claimas new and desireto secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In apparatus for recording the outgoing calls of a dial telephone,the combination of a locking member movable into and out of engagementwith the dialing disk of the telephone instrument and provided withmeans to be engaged by the circuit closing element of the instrument topreclude withdrawal of said member unless the telephone circuit of theinstrument is closed, and a recorder associated with and operated bysaid locking member.

2. In apparatus for recording the outgoing calls of a dial telephone,the combination of means interposed between the dialing disk and thecircuit closing element of a telephone instrument and formed to engagewith and lock the disk against rotation when the cir-' cuit controllingelement of the instrument is in circuit opening position and beingcapable of retraction from the disk when said circuit controllingelement is in circuit closing position, and recording means associatedwith and operated by said interposed means.-

3. In apparatus for recording the outgoing calls of a dial telephone,the combination of a rod mounted for longitudinal reciprocation withrespect to the telephone instrument and.

